Multiplying Fractions

Good morning! So today we are going to be learning how to multiply fractions. The first thing we are gonna do is three over four time one over two. What I always tell my students is top to top, bottom to bottom and you will have no problem. So top to top means three times one equals three. And bottom to bottom you have four times two equals eight. So again, that?s top to top, bottom to bottom. Three times one is three and four times two is eight. We don?t need to simplify three over eight because three-eighths is in its simplest form.
But what if we have one that we actually need to simplify. Let?s say we have four over eight. Well, what you need to do is you need to find the greatest common factor between four and eight. And the answer is four. So you divide both the top and the bottom by four. Four divided by four is one and eight divided by four is two. And now it is in its simplest form.
So let?s try another fraction. Let?s do three-eighths times one-fourth. Again, top to top, bottom to bottom. So three times one is three. And eight times four is thirty-two. Now, we can?t simplify three over thirty-two because three is not a factor of thirty-two.
So again, top to top bottom to bottom and you?ll have no problem. And that is how we multiply fractions.